1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flashlight of the general type having a tubular casing for one or more batteries, a fixed base conductor positioned to engage one battery terminal, a fixed lamp assembly including a conductor in electrical contact with the other battery terminal, and a sliding switch operable to connect electrically the base and lamp conductors to complete the circuit and actuate the lamp.
2. Prior Art
A representative sampling of prior flashlight constructions are shown in the following U.S. patents: Hambuechen U.S. Pat. No. 1,365,988, issued Jan. 18, 1921; Hambuechen U.S. Pat. No. 1,377,477, issued May 10, 1921; Ford U.S. Pat. No. 1,257,596, issued Feb. 26, 1918; Stahl U.S. Pat. No. 3,261,972, issued July 19, 1966; Gits U.S. Pat. No. 2,271,421, issued Jan. 27, 1942; Bolinger U.S. Pat. No. 2,731,545, issued Jan. 17, 1956. In each of the two patents issued to Hambuechen, at the leading or bulb end portion of the flashlight there is a fore-and-aft movable contact "blade" with a bent leading end for bridging between conductive rings which are spaced apart. Conductive contact between the rings is necessary to complete the circuit to power the lamp. The other patents disclose various forms of longitudinally slidable switch members for connecting and disconnecting fixed conductors located at opposite end portions of the tubular flashlight casing.
Known flashlight constructions rely on the resiliency of a switch member in the form of a thin conductive strip to complete the electrical circuit. Over time, the strip can become deformed so as not to make a reliable connection. Sometimes shaking the flashlight to rattle the internal batteries is required to complete the connection, or the flashlight must be dismantled for repair of the switch conductor.